Tie Rod Inner Replacement
Rookie
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: California
Great job
Yeah your pipe wrench was way too long for this purpose, but same concept tho. Post your result here afterward. Mine was great result, no more clunk on pulling into drive way. If you see any oil inside of the rack and pinion, there is some sort of o-ring leakage. Pour a bottle of Lucas stop-leak power steering fluid in there. Use a turkey juice sucker suck out same amount of power steering fluid out and pour stop-leak into it. Mine case, Lucas works great.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Yeah, I had some residual trans fluid from a prior leak that was caused by the rack solenoid screen. I also noticed that one of the lines on the rack was a little loose.
The tie rod changeout worked great. I had some lateral play in the left front wheel before the swap and it's tight now. It wasn't to the point of causing vibration or noise, but if I would have let it go much longer, no doubt that it would have become a problem.
The only thing I'm bummed about is that Discount Tire doesn't do alignments. (I saw an internet ad, but they spoofed the Discount Tire name by adding "Center" to it.) I did a basic alignment myself, which wasn't a pleasant task in the Texas heat on a sloped driveway.
While I was at it, I changed out the rear swaybar bushings with polyurethane ones. That made a lot of difference. I did the front bushings a while back, but I can tell a bigger difference with the rear ones. It feels nice and solid now.
The tie rod changeout worked great. I had some lateral play in the left front wheel before the swap and it's tight now. It wasn't to the point of causing vibration or noise, but if I would have let it go much longer, no doubt that it would have become a problem.
The only thing I'm bummed about is that Discount Tire doesn't do alignments. (I saw an internet ad, but they spoofed the Discount Tire name by adding "Center" to it.) I did a basic alignment myself, which wasn't a pleasant task in the Texas heat on a sloped driveway.
While I was at it, I changed out the rear swaybar bushings with polyurethane ones. That made a lot of difference. I did the front bushings a while back, but I can tell a bigger difference with the rear ones. It feels nice and solid now.
Rookie
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: California
Yeah sway bar bushing are cheap and EZ to perform. Relatively all ball joint on 15-18 yrs old LS are worn out. You can change out front and rear sway bar links with less than 30 bucks. Ebay end links are just fine. Personally replacing front lower ball joint made the major difference for me. Not too bad of a job. Loosen your bolts with a breaker bar. Good luck.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Texas
I just replaced the rear swaybar left endlink. A breaker bar couldn't do it for me. I wound up doing the jack and wrench trick again on the lower locknut and had to borrow a friend's grinder to remove the upper one. The lug was spinning and a 6mm allen wrench kept getting spit out when I applied torque to the nut.
If this keeps up, I'll have a new car, done piece by piece in my driveway before it's over.
If this keeps up, I'll have a new car, done piece by piece in my driveway before it's over.
Rookie
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: California
Feedback on cheap eBay inner tie rod
Whatever you do, please never replace any eBay stuff unless you plan to sell it in short term, my eBay inner tie rod last only 6 months and ball joint socket has play already, my eBay lower ball joint is frozen on one side after six months, took me a long time to figure that out plus after waste of multiple alignment. Stick with only OEM or Moog. I learned my lesson in a hard way.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,078
Likes: 87
From: Birmingham, AL
Lead Lap
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 693
Likes: 0
From: FL :(
Rakybestos sells the outer and inner tie rods. It looks like the outer may also be made by 555 Senkei. I am VERY happy with the lower ball joints. The Senkei parts are made in Japan not China like other aftermarket brands.
As for Moog I have the front sway bar links from them. They are made in Japan as well. Car definitely drives great with new lower ball joints and sway bar links.
These are the ones I found for the 1st gen.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...836&cc=1187478
That information is all for 90-94. I do not know very much about 95-00 parts.
As for Moog I have the front sway bar links from them. They are made in Japan as well. Car definitely drives great with new lower ball joints and sway bar links.
These are the ones I found for the 1st gen.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...836&cc=1187478
That information is all for 90-94. I do not know very much about 95-00 parts.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,078
Likes: 87
From: Birmingham, AL
Rakybestos sells the outer and inner tie rods. It looks like the outer may also be made by 555 Senkei. I am VERY happy with the lower ball joints. The Senkei parts are made in Japan not China like other aftermarket brands.
As for Moog I have the front sway bar links from them. They are made in Japan as well. Car definitely drives great with new lower ball joints and sway bar links.
These are the ones I found for the 1st gen.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...836&cc=1187478
That information is all for 90-94. I do not know very much about 95-00 parts.
As for Moog I have the front sway bar links from them. They are made in Japan as well. Car definitely drives great with new lower ball joints and sway bar links.
These are the ones I found for the 1st gen.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...836&cc=1187478
That information is all for 90-94. I do not know very much about 95-00 parts.
PS - the outer tie rods are cheap enough to just go ahead and get the genuine Toyota (Toyotetsu - Toyoda Iron Works) part at a discount
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Lead Lap
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 480
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
Raybestos Inners are made in S. Korea,, outers are made in Japan (i spoke to Raybestos manufacture Tech support and they claim it's same one boxed in OEM Toyota box) I didn't go with Moog because all the bad stuff I'd been hearing on the different forums.. If you have the time to gram Toyota's that's a good idea too... Anyone know where the OEM Toyota tie rod parts are made? . I used on my last Suspension Rebuild.. I put entire parts lists for what I did here and listed parts from RockAuto including coupon code (not sure if still valid but just google and you'll find new one)
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sus...f-pics-13.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sus...f-pics-13.html
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: ny
Need to resurrect this thread cause I need to get that large brass nut holding the bracket in place on the passenger inner tie rod (91 LS400). It will not budge...I know it is left hand thread. I'm about to chisel it off and just replace it with a new nut. Any insight anyone?
How do you test whether your inner TRE's need replacing, without removing them first? What are common symptoms?
I notice that there are relatively few mentions of inner TRE's on this list - does that mean they rarely need replacing?
I notice that there are relatively few mentions of inner TRE's on this list - does that mean they rarely need replacing?
